Chapter 254: Qiao Sisi’s Diary

After half an hour of trying, Fang Zhou was drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through, looking like he had just emerged from water.

He slumped on the floor, staring blankly at the door, feeling utterly exhausted.

This door lock is really strange. Why won’t it open?

On the other end of the phone, the locksmith seemed to be having lunch, the sound of chewing filtering through to Fang Zhou, but it held no attraction for him.

“Hey, buddy! How’s it going? Did you get it open?”

“Follow my instructions, you’ll definitely get it open! I’ve been a professional locksmith for twenty years! I can even crack your ex-girlfriend’s social media locks, no way I can’t handle a door lock!”

“Hello? Say something! Don’t tell me you’ve bailed? You haven’t paid yet, man!”

Fang Zhou scratched his head, feeling a headache coming on.

“No, I’m not dead. It’s just not opening.”

He felt extremely frustrated. Why couldn’t he unlock this stupid door, even with professional guidance?

Is it that he’s incompetent, or is the locksmith not good enough?

He had tried calling the locksmith over directly, but the security at Qiao Sisi’s complex was very strict. The moment they heard he was there to open a lock, they demanded homeowner information.

Fang Zhou wasn’t the homeowner, so the locksmith had to go back and guide Fang Zhou remotely over the phone.

Unfortunately, some things are best left to the professionals. Fang Zhou had neither the tools nor the skills, making unlocking the door almost impossible.

“What? That can’t be! There’s no lock in this world I can’t open!”

The locksmith sounded agitated, seemingly having put down his utensils, eager to rush over and unlock the door personally.

He wasn’t joking; this was about his title as the king of locks!

In the end, Fang Zhou chose to give up.

“I’ll add you on WeChat and send the payment, okay?”

With that, he hung up the phone, turning back to look at the woman peacefully sleeping on the sofa, feeling a mix of anger and helplessness.

Her long, smooth legs lay on the sofa, her curvy figure fully displayed.

Most importantly, her face looked serene and lovely while she slept, free from the usual resentment and stubbornness, making her quite likable.

It seemed he’d have to wait for her to wake up to leave.

With nothing else to do, Fang Zhou started wandering around her apartment.

The nearly 200-square-meter flat had several bedrooms, a study, and a gaming room.

He wanted to play a couple of games, but her computer was password-protected, so he had to give up.

Turning to the study, he randomly pulled a book from the well-stocked shelves, intending to cultivate some manners, but the contents made his brow furrow.

He double-checked the cover, confirming it was labeled “The Count of Monte Cristo.”

But inside, it was clearly a diary.

He knew diaries were private and shouldn’t be read.

But the page he had opened was so shocking that Fang Zhou’s eyes were glued to it.

The handwriting was somewhat childish and not very neat, written with an old-fashioned blue ballpoint pen. Due to the passage of time, some words were already smudged.

“December 24, 2012, weather snowy, strong wind.

Everyone says today is Christmas Eve, and we should eat an apple for safety and peace.

But today, I didn’t eat an apple; I attended my father’s funeral.

The food was delicious, much better than the scraps I usually eat. I’m so happy.”

Fang Zhou instinctively frowned, carefully examining the handwriting. It looked somewhat like Qiao Sisi’s but also not quite.

They had been apart for so long that Fang Zhou had little memory of Qiao Sisi’s handwriting.

His intuition told him this was a chance to understand Qiao Sisi’s yandere psyche. If he grasped it, some issues might be resolved.

He found a document in the study with Qiao Sisi’s signature and compared the handwriting, confirming it was hers.

Though her writing style had evolved over the years, the basic shape was the same.

Now, Fang Zhou’s sense of morality and rationality were at war in his mind.

If he read on, it would be an invasion of privacy.

If he didn’t, his curiosity would torment him.

Moreover, this diary might explain why Qiao Sisi was so obsessed with him.

“Go ahead, why aren’t you reading?”

A sudden voice from the doorway startled Fang Zhou, making him drop the diary onto the desk.

He hastily looked up to see Qiao Sisi standing at the doorway, having woken up without making a sound and quietly walked to the study.

She leaned against the doorframe, watching him with a knowing smile, part mocking, part indulgent.

Fang Zhou couldn’t read her thoughts.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to look.”

He had indeed been tempted to read but was still debating with himself.

Fang Zhou felt wronged. He had randomly picked a book; who knew it would be her diary?

And who hides a diary inside a classic novel?

This was pure unfortunate fate. Picking a book and finding her private writings? What luck!

Maybe he should try buying a lottery ticket.

Qiao Sisi admitted that when she woke up and didn’t see Fang Zhou, she had panicked.

But before falling asleep, she had set the door lock.

No one but her could open that door.

So, she had quietly come to find Fang Zhou.

Seeing him open her diary had made her blood boil, and she had been about to rush in and stop him.

But another thought had held her back.

‘Let him read it. You two are one. Understanding you will make up for past regrets.’

Yes, Fang Zhou had left because he didn’t understand her well enough.

If he knew how stubborn she was, he might not have left.

So Qiao Sisi watched from the doorway for a while and, noticing his hesitation, decided to speak up.

Though the diary contained many of her past memories, she didn’t mind Fang Zhou reading it.

Because what didn’t kill her had only made her stronger.